Press release No. 12/2012 of 20 July 2012
Wind turbine blades, rocks on a cliff face, the smooth functioning of a production plant – a sudden failure can have serious consequences. Fibre optic sensors installed as an early warning system allow even the smallest changes to be located at an early stage. Fibre optic systems are therefore suitable not only for information transmission but also as measuring sensors. fibrisTerre GmbH (Ltd), together with the BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, has started a new research project to further exploit the potential of this technology.
The objective of the project sponsored by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) under the "Innovative SMEs" programme is the development of a new instrument that transforms optical fibres into highly sensitive sensors which can detect strain, temperature changes, vibration and many other changes in the surroundings. For example, when tensile forces act on part of a fibre, the optical properties change at the exact location which then produces scattered light. The backscattered light is collected and the instrument can determine where the event occurred from the transmission time.
The new instrument is based on the digital optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR). Unlike conventional devices that measure the round-trip time of the backscattering of short light pulses, OFDR splits the pulse into its spectral components which are then measured separately. The new technology makes short measuring times possible allowing even vibrations in bridges or wind turbines to be measured. In addition to the well-known glass fibres used in the telecom sector, the new method will also use novel low-loss polymer fibres thus opening up new areas where glass fibres are too fragile.
The project will merge the digital fibre sensor expertise of fibrisTerre GmbH founded in Berlin in 2010 with BAM’s experience in fibre-optical measurement and testing technology. "The objective is, after completing the project, to develop a universal cost- and energy-efficient device that can establish itself on the market" says project manager Nils Nöther. The research project within the "Innovative SMEs" programme will run until March 2015. With "Innovative SMEs", BMBF supports small and medium-sized enterprises which carry out research into new high-tech products.
Kontakt:
Dr.-Ing. Nils Nöther
Email: nils.noether@fibristerre.de
Phone: +49 30 6290-1320
www.fibristerre.de
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